What can I do to speed the healing process after surgery?

Question :
I had eyelid surgery two and a half weeks ago on both my upper and lower eyelids. I was hoping that the bruising would be gone at this point but I’m still bruised. What can I do to help get rid of the bruising faster?

Answer :
Your question with regards to bruising following surgery especially eyelid surgery is a common one. The old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” really rings true in terms of bruising. I encourage my eyelid and all cosmetic surgical patients to stop all natural remedies and vitamins prior to surgery as many of them, although healthy in normal circumstances, may lead to bleeding and increased bruising in the face of eyelid surgery. I start my patients on Arnica and encourage the use of ice immediately after eyelid surgery. I use epinephrine for hemostasis during surgical injections of the eyelid and face which decreases intra operative bleeding. In spite of all of these precautions, bruising still occurs and there is not a great deal to do for bruising other than perhaps a light laser treatment that will expedite the resolution of the bruising postoperatively.